Panic attacks and alcohol

[CoiledSpring]

Hi - newbie here but introduced myself yesterday on the welcome thread

Severe panic attacks on and off for 25 years - I am 42

GPs looked for physiological causes for this - never had any mental health input. Never been given medication.

I did once get Valium for fear of flying after the first batch of which my dr said look just have a couple of drinks before and on the flight - same outcome

That was around 8 years ago.

Since then I have used - increasingly - alcohol to combat panic.

As you will know too much alcohol can bring on panic the next day with your hangover.

Viscious circle.

I now need meds to kick the alcohol then I will deal with the meds. I went to a private GP yesterday who said it was more important to deal with the alcohol. S that is s bigger problem than taking any meds that will help me stop

And that's why I am here - to talk through issues and solutions any of you in similar situations have found helpful

[CoiledSpring]

The private GP mentioned anti-anxiety drugs that were not addictive but I can't recall the name

Does anyone know of such drugs and are they any good?

[Charon]

he could mean inderal. a blood pressure/heart rate med. it does not addict u. and it does not stop anxiety. but it stops shaking.

he sounds like a good doctor. i would try to work with him.

i had helped two people come off alcohol. and what i researched had scared me. one had already had a heart attack. and, i read that going off alcohol after yrs can be as equally dangerous as a benzo.

i have not researched this in a few yrs. I think alcohol will be harder to get off, so i would use a doctors advice.

but, i never drank. i wish i knew more on this. but, maybe see what this doctor suggests. one more time.

i know when i was my mothers caregiver when she had cancer, i had to inform the doctor that she was an alcoholic. They had to give her special meds so she would not die by suddenly going off alcohol.

I think this may need a doctors help. Maybe just listen to him. I don't have time to research this. But, last time I did research all of this, alcohol withdrawal seemed even harder than benzo withdrawal.

and, doctors first believed that benzos, esp xanax, had no addictive properties. boy were they wrong. It took my medical doctor a few yrs to get off the darn xanax.

He may be right. It cannot hurt to talk to him again and really listen. With the two people i put in rehab, i had doctors they were seeing also. I was to curb the usage whilst at home.

May u be granted wisdom. Best of luck. (There are meds that help one come safely off alcohol, but i am not up on current meds.) Please stay safe.

[nickolyko]

Inderal is the drug of choice I believe it is the one that he mentions to you. Atarax can be in combination very useful and also not addictive one. Unfortunately Xanax is a first choice medicine for panic attacks but it carries always the risk of addiction especially if u become a chronic user.

[Raven]

Coiled Spring:

Good thread, should generate some good info. for people here. I'm pretty good at keeping myself in the "Moderation" category when it comes to alcohol. I never drink the hard stuff and limit myself to beer and wine. I really enjoy these beverages and I have no intention of ever quitting either. Life is short and that cold beer or two after work, or a couple of glasses of wine with holiday meals makes me happy.

If, on the other hand, you are drinking in excess (a hang-over the next day is a really good indicator) then you need to put this behavior in-check as soon as possible. I recommend that you do not seek a medication to treat excessive alcohol use (initially). My rule of thumb is to always limit the days that you have a drink so that, for each week, you have more days w/o a drink, then days with a drink. I find it really helps to avoid developing tolerance.

If you are not already fighting a building tolerance to both alcohol and benzos, then I would recommend a detox on the alcohol first. It is known to make you more anxious if you get to the point where you've just got to have a drink. Alcohol it harmful to just about ever organ in your body. So, put this habit in check first and then work on the anxiety. It will improve your health and help you to build strength to deal with your anxiety issues from a stronger starting point.

Good luck Coiled Spring and welcome to the Forum!

Black Bird

[Rumor]

Buspar is another non addictive anti anxiety med that works for some folks for anxiety, along with the low dose high blood pressure meds. Good luck to you, Coiledspring. Rumor

[CoiledSpring]

Thanks all.

When you talk about the dangers of withdrawal from alcohol how do you know if you are at risk?

For example I can stop drinking for 2 or 3 days ok it's - first night I get the sweats a little but that's all.

Then a panic attack comes along and that's me for the next few days drinking 10 units or so.

But I presume that if I was at risk from serious alcohol withdrawal problems I would have some significant symptoms if in these 2 or 3 days without booze?

[CoiledSpring]

I would add this private GP gave me 28 5g Valium to give me help in the short term whilst I sort out whether i deal with this privately or change GPs on NHS.

The urge to drink has already gone in just 2 days.

[cmdline]

think main treatment for long time someone with alcohol was valium,and still is,but could be corrected on that.Since vals do prevent shaking,seizure risk and are used to wean people off alcohol.GP sounds like he has some experience so once you overcome alcohol try and get something that isnt addictive as benzo to deal with panic.

only word of caution be careful with any benzo since you got 5mg vals,but limit yourself to 2-3 weeks max to avoid tolerance,since docs these days tend to give good stuff but once its over it fast could turn into where you began,if treatment isnt properly sought out.

[mr nobody]

Today and probably since the beginning of time people have used alcohol for anxiety.
You mentioned the NHS which leads me to think you are in UK-they probably have better treatment protocols for alcohol withdraw than in North America.  The use of benzos short-term for this used to be common practice (and the most sane).

Try to keep that doc who prescribed the 5mgs happy it sounds like one of the good guys/girls.

Buspar used to be rare and expensive (not bad med in my opinion).

This is not going to be easy for you I wish you the best.  Might want to search treatment protocols in your home country.